As Giannone notes, the Rangers season did not end on a high note, but this offseason has brought hopes of grandeur for the 2012-13 season.

The Rangers added a star player, one that has scored at least 60 points in four of his last five seasons. Nash missed the 60-point mark by one tally last season, but the Blue Jackets were far from a quality team.

In New York, he will be surrounded by stars.

Brad Richards is one of the best centers in the league, Marian Gaborik won't be on the ice until at least December, but he finished third in the NHL in goals scored last season and is a great right-winger. And ww all know what Henrik Lundqvist is capable of between the pipes.

The Rangers don't just rely on star power either as Ryan Callahan, Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin and rising star Chris Kreider will all be back.

For a professional sports franchise, watching your rivals lose players or fail to add talent is nearly as productive as bringing in pieces of your own.

This offseason, the New Jersey Devilslost Zach Parise to the Minnesota Wild. Parise has scored 34 points in 43 games against the Blueshirts in his seven seasons in the league. He didn't play a huge part in ousting the Rangers from the playoffs, but it is a relief to see him go nonetheless.

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So, whether you want to call it addition by a rival's subtraction or just the luck of the draw, the Rangers are in prime position to return to the Eastern Conference Finals with advancing on their mind.